Search This Blog

Wednesday, 22 April 2015

SWAZI JUDICIAL CRISIS: FOUR IN COURT

Two Swaziland High Court judges, the fired Minister
of Justice and the High Court Registrar appeared in Mbabane Magistrates Court
on Tuesday (21 April 2015) on various charges relating to the on-going judicial
crisis in the kingdom.

The accused faced different charges. The Swazi Observer, a newspaper in effect
owned by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, reported
the court proceedings in its edition on Wednesday (22 April
2015).

It said, ‘They were charged differently so they made
their way into the accused dock in groups. The first to take to the dock were
Minister Shongwe and Nhlabatsi, who are both charged together with the elusive
Chief Justice Michael Ramodibedi.’

Ramodibedi reportedly
faces 23 charges, including abuse of power. He has been
resisting arrest at his home in Mbabane since a warrant was issued against him
on Friday (17 April 2015).

The Observer
continued, ‘In this charge, they are alleged to have stolen a court record with
the warrant of arrest application against Shongwe.’

It added, ‘They were charged with obstructing the
course of justice and theft.

‘The second duo to appear was Judge Mpendulo and the
Registrar, who appeared in almost all the charges. They too, were charged
together with the CJ for their involvement in the CJ versus SRA [Swaziland
Revenue Authority] saga. They were charged with corruption and obstructing the
course of justice.’

The SRA saga relates to the manner in which
Ramodibedi received a gratuity. The Observer Saturday
had previously reported that Simelane and Ramodibedi were
charged with, ‘conflict of interest, defeating the ends of justice and abuse of
power in that the Chief Justice Ramodibedi allocated his case of contesting his
E128,000 [US$12,800] gratuity against the Swaziland Revenue Authority (SRA) to
Justice Mpendulo Simelane in full knowledge that Judge Simelane in his then
capacity as Registrar of the High Court, made written and oral representations
on the chief justice’s behalf to the SRA.’

In its report on Wednesday, the
Observer said,
‘The last to appear were Judge Annandale, Fikile and Judge Simelane. Here, the
three were charged with the role they played in trying to rescind
the warrants of arrest against the CJ and Judge
Simelane.’

The four accused were remanded to the Mbabane police
station cells, pending further police inquiries.